Warner Bros. has canceled the release of Coyote vs. Acme, a live-action/CG animation hybrid film starring John Cena that completed filming last year.
“With the re-launch of Warner Bros. Pictures Animation in June, the studio has shifted its global strategy to focus on theatrical releases,” a WB Motion Picture Group spokesperson said in a statement. “With this new direction, we have made the difficult decision not to move forward with Coyote vs Acme. We have tremendous respect for the filmmakers, casts, and crew, and are grateful for their contributions to the film.”
Based on a 1990 New Yorker humor piece by Ian Frazier, the film Coyote vs. Acme follows Looney Tunes character Wile E. Coyote (played by John Cena) as he sues Acme Corporation for its faulty products, which have repeatedly stopped his attempts to catch the Road Runner.
Warner Bros. greenlit Coyote vs. Acme in December 2020 for its streaming service, HBO Max. The film was originally scheduled for release on July 21, 2023, but no trailer was ever released and the studio removed it from its release calendar in April 2022, replacing it with Barbie.
“For three years, I was lucky enough to make a movie about Wile E. Coyote, the most persistent, passionate, and resilient character of al time,” filmmaker Dave Green wrote on X after this story initially published. “I was surrounded by a brilliant team, who poured their souls into this project. … Along the ride, we were embraced by test audiences who rewarded us with fantastic scores.”